


No Joy to be Found

by Aussiefan70



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Angst, Gen, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-26
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2018-08-11 02:36:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7872661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aussiefan70/pseuds/Aussiefan70
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another contribution to the Criminal Minds Angst war, loosely based on the introduction of David Rossi's daughter, Joy, in the Season 10 episode "Fate".<br/>As for what made me do this???  Mostly because it seems everyone gets angst written for them except David Rossi and I couldn't resist trying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Joy to be Found

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DarkJediQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJediQueen/gifts), [Rivermoon1970](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivermoon1970/gifts).



> Here's homage...and payback to the acknowledged Queens of angst...Rivermoon1970 and DarkJediQueen. Sorry, I couldn't help myself..and you did give permission for retaliation...lol.

David Rossi, veteran profiler and founder of the FBI's Behavioural Analysis Unit, had been around the block a few too many times, to easily ignore his gut sense that something was off. He was in a coffee shop, grabbing his favourite blend, before heading into work, and something had his senses on edge. Trying to be unobtrusive, he nonchalantly turned and scanned the other customers, searching for something or someone that seemed out of place. And in doing so, he realised he'd been a bit uneasy, on edge, for a few days now, without recognising the source.

Finally his gaze settled on a young African American woman, maybe 30 years old or so, who was several places back in the line from him. Something stirred his memory and he realised he'd half noticed her a few times in the last week. She'd been around more than casual social circumstances should warrant, and this got his hackles up, as he automatically assessed her as a threat. Trying to make eye contact, he realised she'd figured out she had his attention. His profiler brain immediately picked up on her avoidance tactics and became even more alarmed as she hurriedly left the coffee shop without her order. As his order came up, he quickly asked for another coffee with creamer and sugar to go, and overtipping the barista, rushed out into the street, catching sight of his target, almost a block away. Being a tall, attractive woman made it an easier task.

Approaching her car, he spotted the rental company sticker and saw the file folders on the passenger seat, and so he rapped on the passenger window. At first, he thought she might refuse to respond, but she slowly opened the window, and he was able to see his own name on the tab of the file folder. Handing over the coffee and accompaniments, he commented that she'd do better as a PI or paparazzi if she kept file folders with target names face down on the seat, rather than face up, where the subjects could read their own names. He could tell he'd shocked the young woman and, somewhat bemused, walked away, not knowing there was another person who'd been observing his motions and actions over the past week, and was fascinated by the interaction. He was bent on revenge against the well known profiler, and now...maybe...he had an angle he could work with.

Rossi strolled into the BAU, enjoying his cup of coffee and ready to begin the work day. Things proceeded pretty routinely. The team wasn't called in on any new cases, and spent their time working on cold cases and consults, while Reid was working on his latest paper for publication. "No surprise there", Dave thought.

He didn't think too much about that young woman over the next few days. He didn't notice anyone paying any extra attention to him, work remained quiet for a rare change, and they got caught up on the backload of consults that were the bane of the BAU's existence. Until five days, later, David Rossi's world shattered.

Aaron Hotchner knocked on Rossi's door about 11am and gently asked "Dave, do you have a minute?"  
"Sure Hotch, what do you need?", his old friend responded.  
Hotch took a second and answered, "There's a case thats come up, its local and...well, its going to be difficult, because there's physical links to this team that we can't explain".

A little baffled, Dave questioned, "In what way? We're usually just the profilers, not part of the evidence chain".  
"Ahh, yes", Hotch continued, "Well, chain of evidence is exactly what we are. Virginia State Police have a murder victim. A young woman, found stabbed to death in a vehicle about 5 miles from here".  
Rossi interrupted, "A single victim? Why are they calling us in? We usually don't get consulted until its serial?".  
"Dave, its linked to us, because finger prints on a coffee cup sitting in the vehicle's cup holder, well it came back positive, linked to you".

Taken aback, Rossi considered a moment. "Aaron, sometime last week, I noticed a young woman at my local coffee shop. Something seemed odd, and on reflection, I realised I'd seen her on and off for a few days. She took off when I noticed her attention, but I caught up to her, gave her a cup of coffee and basic PI lecture 101...don't get noticed...oh and don't keep file folders with your subject's name face up on the front seat of your car", remembering, he allowed a wry smile, before recalling the situation and continued, "I thought it was someone out to chase me down for some stupid lawsuit. I get them on and off, since publishing my books. People think I'm slandering them or their families. I just pass it all over to my lawyers, once I'm served with papers. I've never had to pay out yet".

Hotch shook his head and told his old friend "Dave, I wish you'd said something to me before this. You have to admit it looks pretty suspicious, now that she's turned up dead and with links to you". He knew his friend wasn't the UNSUB, he'd bet his life on it, but now they were both embroiled in a mess of epic proportions.

"Virginia State Police has jurisdiction and will probably want to interview you. You know you're going to be a person of interest in this, right?"  
"Yes Hotch", Dave answered, "but I've nothing to hide. Let them know I'll answer any questions they may have. Do they have an ID on the young woman yet?"  
"Not yet, Dave, but as soon as I know anything more, I'll let you know", Hotch answered as he left the doorway and headed back to his own office, suspecting a storm was about to descend on his unit.

The next morning, still pretty much in the dark, and awaiting contact from the State Police, Dave Rossi walked out his front door, and stopped suddenly, finding a large unlabelled envelope on his doorstep. Gingerly, he picked it up and opened it, noting there was a driver's license, some sheets of paper and a wallet inside. Feeling suddenly vulnerable, he closed the envelope and headed into the office, determined to examine the contents only in Aaron's presence. Something told him he'd need a witness for this.

Arriving at the BAU, he found Aaron in the bullpen and took him gently by the arm, indicating with the envelope that he needed to talk and in private. They entered Hotch's office and Rossi said to his friend, "I found this on my doorstep this morning and I've got a terrible feeling its related to that victim from yesterday". Standing at Aaron's desk, Dave poured out the contents of the envelope and they stared at what they saw. There was a driver's license, made out for Joy Struthers, with a California address. That name didn't ring any bells for either man, so they inspected the rest of the contents. They examined the wallet. It held about a hundred dollars, a few credit cards, a hotel key card and a photo of the victim, another African American male of roughly the same age, and a young boy, perhaps five years old. There was also a press pass, identifying Joy as a journalist. Rossi initially thought that was probably what got her attention onto him...she was looking for a story.

But then, they looked at the last few pieces of paper left. One was a copy of a birth certificate, in the name of Joy Montgomery, listing the mother as Hayden Montgomery and the father as unknown. Rossi gasped, and took a step back, completely shaken to his core. "What's wrong, Dave, I don't understand?", Aaron questioned. Dave indicated with his hand that he couldn't answer and wanted to see the other documents in the pile.

There were two items remaining. One was a letter, and it was an unspoken mutual decision to hold that for last. The other was a copy of a lab result, indicating a DNA analysis for paternity. Hands shaking, Dave unfolded and read the report. Shocked, by the contents, he was barely able to grind out to Aaron, "Hayden Montgomery was my second wife. She was the US diplomat to France, we divorced 33 years ago, and to my knowledge, she was never pregnant....but....but....could I have been wrong?".

Aaron laid a steadying hand on his old friend and mentor's arm, and said, "I guess we need to read that letter now and see if we can find out what this all means".

Hands shaking, Dave reached for the letter. Unfolding it, he found a recent photo of the victim, obviously taken as she was walking along the street. Holding the photo close, Dave started to read the letter's contents.

"Dear Agent Rossi,  
I've been following your career for a very long time, especially since you had my parents arrested as the so called Pasadena Spree killers. You were wrong, you know. They couldn't have done it. They were the most loving, gentle and kind parents you'd ever know, and you took them from me, when I was only nine years old. You took them from me, and they have been wasting away in prison ever since, and they wouldn't let me see them....at least until I turned 18. You put me into those terrible foster homes. I had a loving home, everything I ever wished for, and you put in a place where I was starved for food at times, always starved for affection and, forced to have sex by an older foster kid who lived there and made my life hell for the three years I spent in that home. You deserve to be tortured for what you put me through. So as payback for you taking away my parents, I chose to take away your kid. Yes, your kid. I have been watching you for months, just looking for a way to get at you, to hurt you like you hurt me. And you gave me the perfect opening...another stalker. Only I noticed and I paid attention...you didn't! I did the background research and found out her link to you through her mother. And I took empty coffee cups from the trash from both of you. It only took a little cash to get the results I needed, and DNA tests confirmed she's your daughter....except she's no longer an is..she's a was. I took her from you, like you took my adored parents from me. I hope you rot in hell, knowing that you got so close to meeting your kid, and blew it.  
All the best...well not really,  
Jeff Goodings (son of Sandra and Paul Goodings...aka the Pasedena Spree Killers, or so you called them).

PS: Don't bother to look for me. I'm so far off the grid, you will never find me. I've been invisible to this world for over ten years now. I will kill myself before I ever let you take me down."

Dave rocked back on his heels and Aaron immediately put an arm around his friend's shoulders. "I didn't know, Aaron....I didn't know. Hayden never gave me any sign she was pregnant. She broke off the marriage because I always made her come second to this job....she never gave me a hint.....". He began to sob, broken haunting sobs that Aaron could barely stand to hear.  
"Are you sure Dave, maybe its a giant con artist trick, aimed at messing with your mind", Hotch began.  
"No its true....dammit, its true", Dave answered, glancing down to the photo in his hand, "She's the spitting image of her mother, except for her eyes...those eyes belong to my Mama....oh God..what have I done, what have I missed?".

And David Rossi broke apart in the arms of his old and true friend, knowing he'd never get the chance to see his daughter again. But the blows didn't let up. Recalling the photo of Joy with a man and a child, Rossi was determined to find out who they were, and with Garcia's help, it was quickly determined that Joy had been married to Shawn Struthers, and they had a six year old son named Kai. While the Virginia State Police took care of the next of kin notification of the death, Hotch took it upon himself to go to California to inform Shawn of the link to his team, and Dave in particular. Shawn was terribly bitter. He'd lost the love of his life, the mother of his son, and he wanted nothing to do with his late wife's absentee father, threatening to get a restraining order if Rossi ever came in sight of the pair of them. So in one terrible act, Dave lost a daughter, a son-in-law and a grandson...an entire family. 

To this day, the death of Joy Struthers remains an open case


End file.
